Clothes-line tightener



No. 607,892. Patented July 26, I898. J. T. SMITH.

CLOTHES LINE TIGHTENEB.

(Application filed Feb. 19, 1897.)

(No Modem INVENTOR tlamey WITNESS/i5 6. fimpzw JOHN T. SMITH, OF NORWAY,IOWVA.

CLOTH ES- LINE TIG HTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,892, dated July 26,1898. Application filed February 19, 1897; Serial No. 624,098. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norway, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Tighteners;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes-line fasteners; andthe object of the same is to provide a combined clothes-line fastenerand tightener, in which the slack of the clothes-line may be taken upby'simply pulling upon one end of the same, the releasing of theclothes-line after the slack is taken up of footing the securing of thesame in its adj usted position.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafterfully described, claimed, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings,in Which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same in position for adjusting the clothes-line forremoving the slack in the same, and Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing theposition of the parts after the clothes-line has been released andsecured in its adjusted position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the post or support,to which the attachment is secured by means of the bolt 2,- which passesthrough the horizontal arm 3 thereof and is secured by the nut at. Thisnut 4 is provided with the operating-handle 5, whereby the same may beoperated without the use of a wrench, and it also serves to form a reelupon which the end of the rope may be wound.

The arm 3 has its upper edge out downward, as shown,to form the inclinedor wedge-shaped surface 6, which terminates. at its inner end in thestraight portion 7. The arm 3 is provided with the straighttwall 8,which forms a shoulder or stop against which the rear end of thewedge-shaped block 9 is adapted to abut. This wedge-shaped block 9 haspivoted to either side of the same the straps or bars 10. These bars arepivoted at their lower ends to the opposite sides of the arm 3 by bolts11,

which pass through the said arm. Thus it will be understood that thewedge -shaped block is adapted to swing on the straps or bars to whichit is pivoted and its inclined surface coact with the inclined surface 6of the arm 3.

a The clothes-line 12 is passed through the perforation 13 in theforward end of thearm 3 and through the perforation 13 in the top wallof the block 9, where it passes under the inclined surface of the saidblock and through the perforation 14 at the rear wall of the same. Fromthis point the rope passes downward through the perforation 15 in thestraight surface 7 of the arm and is coiled about the reel.

The portion of the rope beneath the wedgeshaped block rests in thegroove 16 provided therefor.

When it is desired to takevup the slack in the clothes-line, the freeend of the same is drawn upon (the opposite end of the clotheslinehaving been secured to a supporting object) and the wedge-shaped blockis drawn backward, releasing the rope and permitting the slack to betaken out of the clothes-line. The instant the end of the clothes-lineis released the tension of the line will draw the wedgeshapedblockforward upon theinclined surface 6 upon the arm 3 and wedge the ropebetween the two inclines. The groove in. the bottom of the block 9 isnot deep enough to entirely receive the rope, so that enough of the sameprojects therefrom to enable awedging action to be effected.

From the above description of my invention it will be understood thatthe greater the strain upon the line by the garments thereupon thetighter the rope will be secured and its slipping prevented.

It will be noted that I have produced a very simple clothes linefastener which firmly clamps the clothes-line, the operation of the samebeing accomplished by simply releasing the end of the line after theslack has been taken out of the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A clothes-line fastener comprising a support, a horizontal armsecured to the support by a bolt, a securing-nut upon the end of thebolt, an operating-handle upon the nut for moving the same, saidoperating handle constituting a reel upon which the free end of p therope can be Wound, an inclined surface upon the arm, an inclined blockpivoted to the arm, and a rope secured at one end to a supportingobject, its opposite end passing through the arm and wedge, extendingbeneath the inclined surface of the wedge and outward to the rear wallof the same and thence downward through the arm, the parts operatingsubstantially as set forth.

2. A clothes-line fastener comprising a support, a horizontal armsecured thereto, the upper edge of said horizontal arm formed with aninclined surface, a block having its under edge inclined, straps pivotedat their upper ends to each side of the block and at their lower ends tothe horizontal arm,and a clothesline attached at one end to a securingobject, its opposite end passing through a perforation in the forwardend of the horizontal arm to the top of the block downward to itsinclined surface and passing along said surface, through JOHN T. SMITH.

Witnesses:

FRANK PIcKART, JOHN H. JOHNSON.

